The present invention relates generally to a display device for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle wherein a pointer is constructed in the circular disc-shaped configuration including a slit-shaped indicating portion extending from the central part toward the outer peripheral part thereof, characters, calibrations or the like on a dial are covered with the outer peripheral part of the pointer, and the dial is illuminated with the light beam emitted from the backside of the dial.
Usually, a needle-shaped pointer or a circular disc-shaped pointer has been hitherto used as a pointer for, e.g., a speed meter, a tachometer or the like each adapted to display in the analogical manner. FIG. 15 is a perspective view which schematically illustrates by way of example a conventional display device for a vehicle including a circular disc-shaped pointer. The display device includes pointers 51 each of which is constructed of a circular disc-shaped plate having no light permeability, and each pointer 51 includes a slit-shaped indicating portion 51a which radially extends from the central part toward the outer peripheral part of the pointer 51. In addition, a dial 52 is arranged behind the pointers 51, and circular portions 52a each having light permeability and dimensions to substantially correspond to the circular shape of each pointer 51 are formed on the dial 52. Characters, calibrations or the like each having light permeability are placed around the outer periphery of each circular portion 52a.
In addition, a light scattering plate 53, a cathode tube 54, a reflective plate 55 and movements 56 for driving the pointers 51 are successively arranged behind the dial 52. When the cathode tube 54 serving as a light source is turned on, the light beam emitted from the cathode tube 54 directly reaches the light scattering plate 53 or it is once reflected from the reflective plate 55 and then reaches the light scattering plate 53. Thereafter, the dial 52 and the pointers 51 are illuminated with the light beam which has been irregularly scattered in the scattering plate 53. With such construction, the indicating portions 51a of the pointers 51 each having light permeability and the characters, calibrations or the like on the pointer 51 each having light permeability are brightly illuminated with the light beam. The display device including slit-shaped indicating portions on circular disc-shaped pointers as constructed in the above-described manner has a merit that a single light source serves not only for the dial but also for the pointer.
FIG. 16 is a fragmentary view which illustrates that the aforementioned display device is incorporated in an instrument panel 57 on a vehicle. In the drawing, reference numeral 58 designates a meter hood and reference numeral 59 designates a front glass. In addition, FIG. 17 is a diagrammatical view which illustrates from the front side the state that a light source for the display device is turned on. As is apparent from the drawing, characters, calibrations or the like are brightly illuminated with the light beam emitted from the light source so that they can clearly visually be recognized by driver's eyes.
Among many meters mounted on a modern vehicle, some of them have two separate light source systems, one of them being operable for illuminating a pointer and the other one being operable for illuminating a dial. In this case, calibrations are placed outside of characters, and a pointer is arranged such that it extends to the calibrations while overlapping the characters. As shown in FIG. 17, however, the foremost end of the indicating portion 51a reaches only the inside of the region where the characters, calibrations or the like are placed. For this reason, the indicating portion 51a of the pointer 51 cannot overlap the characters, calibrations or the like. Thus, there appear problems to be solved. Specifically, visual recognization is accomplished with much difficulties, and moreover, a degree of freedom of designing is restrictively determined.